Better Bond X-Press veneer glue requires only 1 hour in the press to set the bond between the veneer and the substrate. However, the actual curing of the adhesive can take several hours once the panel is removed from the vacuum bag. Don't make the mistake of leaving a veneered panel in the vacuum bag for longer than an hour if you are using a cold press veneer glue such as X-Press. Learn more about this concept here.

Here's a rookie mistake that I've made more times than I should even mention. When you've finished pressing the veneered panel, don't be tempted to take it out and toss it on the workbench. The glue on the top surface will continue to dry while the underside, being starved for air, will remain uncured. This will result in a warped panel. Even thick substrates will warp if cured incorrectly!

The warping happens when the veneer (which has slightly expanded from the moisture of the glue) begins to shrink as the adhesive dries and cures. The glue has its grip when the panel begins drying so it is pulling the project board in the direction of the shrinking movement. When the pull is even on both sides, the panel stays flat. Think of it as a race between both sides of the panel. You want both sides to arrive at the finish line at the same time.

After removing
a glued up veneer from the press, store the panel on a flat surface with ½" dowels or ½" PVC pipe under it and space them 8 to 12 inches apart. Wait at least 4 hours for the glue to fully cure. If you are extra worried about the panel not staying flat, then place additional dowels on top of the veneered panel with a scrap board on top. This will even out the curing speed of the glue so that both sides dry at the exact same rate.

For drying
a smaller panel, use a few spring clamps to suspend the veneered panel
from a ½" dowel, as shown.

Substrates
less than ½" will warp slightly if they are not finished or at least framed in
a wood border within a few days of pressing. You can also keep the panel flat by placing it on a flat surface with a flat board and some weight on top.

If you have no immediate use for a veneered panel but choose to make one anyway, allow it to cure for a day and then store it between two flat boards. This will minimize any warping.